As most of you know it was the day that big swell
came rolling in creating chaos all up and down the coast.
I thought for sure all my friends that surf were going to be
heading out but I was wrong and in fact they thought I was a bit
off for planning on taking my kayak out. Having done
just that I now know I was not thinking clearly and
won't be doing that again any time soon.
I paddled out of Marina Del Rey at about 2:00 pm at
low tide thinking things wouldn't be so bad and that
maybe, just maybe the waves wouldn't be slamming onto the beach
as they usually are as this area is known for it's beach
break. Anyway, as I rounded the corner I was pretty
darn amazed at what I saw and that was BIG waves.
Bigger, I think, than I have played in in my entire
kayaking career but naturally, me being me, the bigger
the better, right? Well...
I started off at the south end of the beach in the smaller
waves as I wanted to get a feel for things and get warmed
up for the good stuff but soon found that there was
absolutely nothing to be surfed. It was pretty much
just surviving the crushing blows of those darn things.
I mean I have surfed at night and gotten the crap kicked
out of me, paddles ripped out of my hands and such but
these things were just downright violent! Far too often I
would get knocked over and found it a challenge to roll
back up and a couple times had to bail and swim. Once,
I honestly didn't think I was going to find that grab loop,
gulped and nice bunch of sea water and finally popped
back up watching my kayak race towards shore and the
jetty. That kinda told me things were coming to an
end for this day. But oh, I just had to paddle to the pier
just to put a good close to the day!
Just to try and describe how big some of these waves got I
was cruising along towards the pier at which I honestly thought
was a safe distance from shore. Yeah, I was playing hide and seek
as a big swell would roll under me but I felt quite safe and really didn't
think anything this far out would have the courage to break on me until...
As usual I always keep my eye out to sea and this time I saw the
swell coming but didn't think it would break until I saw that tell tale foam
building at the lip! Honestly, my heart started racing as I paddled like hell
trying to turn straight into that thing as it raised it's ugly head
and just about stood me vertical! I thought for sure I was going to
meet my maker and for an instant I realized that my stern was
nearly at the bottom of the trough and there was only about
4 feet of my kayak breaking clear of the lip! (My kayak is
17 feet long!) Once I cleared this thing I quickly paddled out a
bit farther and headed for home!
Ok, so I learned a lesson and that is, don't be a fool! I'm doing
pretty well building my skills, can handle some pretty wild
water, have been told I am a good teacher and that is enough.
I gotta learn to live a little less on the edge. I love this sport
more than any I have gotten involved in but I'm not willing to
accelerate my death doing it. It's extreme enough on it's own!
Wriggly coming to my rescue with a miniature life ring!
